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. 2 Sheets-Sheet]I 1. M. HIGGINS.

Hectric Gas- Lighter. No. 71,005. f Patented Nov.v 19, 18.67.

2 Sheets-,Sheet 2. J. M. HIGGINS.

h Electric Gas- Lighter. x No. 71,005. Patented Nov. 19, 1867.

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JOHN M.- HIGGINS, (WLB. OULEEETSON, ADMINISTRATOR or ST. LOUIS,

MISSOURI. l

Letters Patent No. 71,005, cZatetZ November 19, 1867.'

IMEEOVEMENT IN LIGHTING GAS vEr ELECTRICITY.

T0 ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: A y

Beit knownv thatiI, T0-HN M. HIGGINS, of St. Louis, in the county of St.Louis, and the State of Missouri, have made a new and useful improvedApparatus for Turning On and Oil, and Lighting and Extinguishing-Gas byElectricity; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specidation, in which similarletters indicate corresponding parts. Y

Figure 1 is a top view. v

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line a fig. 1.

Figure' is a transverse vertical section on the line e oZ, iig. 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line of, fig. 1.

The improvements consist in the arrangement'oi the switch-circuit, bywhich the currentpis diverted from the main circuit to the lightingapparatus; the operation of the switch-circuit by the revolution of thegascock, which is operated byrtheclock-work, released by the maincircuit connection; the escapement and detaining devices, which releasethe clock-work, and re-arrcst its motion. In the drawings- A is the gaspipe, and B the burner. The gas-cock C has an opening through it in onedirection, as usual, the illustration, g. 3, showing the position withthe gas turned oli'. Upon the axis of the gas-cock is attached thespur-wheel D, so that a complete revolution of the wheel brings the cocktwice into its open and twice into its closed positions. The wheel D isrevolved by means of the spring E, or a weight, and the intermediateclocl work gearings, F G H,'which are journalled in bearings of thecheek-plate Il. On the axis of the pinionwheel G is a larger spur-wheel,I, which gears into a pinion on the shaft of the regulator-wheel K. Thelatter answers two purposes in my apparatus: In' the irst place, by theoffering resistance of the air, it affords a means of regulating thespeed ot' the wheel D, asis common in musical boxes and the strikingapparatus of some clocks; and in the second place, it is the means ofarresting the motion, as the hook L is dropped upon it. The spring E iswound upon its arbor by means of a key on the square end of the arbor,and the ratchet M and detent-pawl N. The escapement device is worked bymeans of the vibrating armature 0. As soon as the electric connection ismade by the operator, the soft iron P becomes a magnet, and attracts thearmature O, which vibrates on its axis, and, by means of the vcatch onthe dependent rod-o, lifts the hinged rod L, and per= mits the wheel Kto revolve, and the clock-work to turn the spur-wheel D. The rod L workson a hinge at Z, and has two catches, ZZ', and -a spring, Zf, whichholds it down. When the rod is lifted, catch Z disengages' the fan K,and the machine runs untilthe catch Z falls into one of the four notchesupon the periphery of the wheel Q, which causes the catch Z to arrestthe motion of the fan K, and the train of gearing which impels it; Theface of the wheel Q is furnishedwith four small cams, g q, situated alittle in the rear of the notches p, (as the wheel runs.) These are forthe purpose of laterally withdrawing the spring-catch on the rod 0 fromthe rod L, so as to allow it to fall freely into the next notch in thewheel Q which is presented to it. The spring R keeps the armature oraised from the core P when the electric inueuce ceases. As the wheel Dis revolved, the cam-rods d on its 'rearpress upon the non-conductingportion s of-the switch S, so as to vibrate the latter on its axis, s',and bring the knobs s s in contact with the pins T, which pass throughthe block V of non= conducting material, and are connected to wires ww', on the rear of said block V.

The cam-rods rl are two in number at the rear of the wheel D, and theiroce is to move the switch S, and

bring the platinum plate 5 over the orifice of the burner, to ignite theissuing gas. the switch vibrating back again under the influence oi`-the spring t as soon as the cams i pass the block s..

A revolution of the wheel turns on the gas twice, and turns'it oit`twice. When turning it on, the switch is brought into play, but inturning it oil` no switch is required, as the rotation of the gas-'cockstops the supply of gas. Two quarters of the wheel are thereforeprovided with the cam-rods d, and the other quarters are not sofurnished. 'When the switch s is in. the position shown in iig. 3, theelectric connection is made on the line as indicated by the letters X XX, passing around the core P, thence to the metal piu V, the lower ends4 of the switch, the liinging portion s of the latter, and through theplug Y, the electric connection in this case, by releasing the fan K andthe gearing, permitting the spring E to rotate the gas-cock. When thecamrod d presses upon the block s, and vibretesthe switch S, theelectric connection between the pin V and the tail s* of the switch isbroken, but the current passes by the wire w to the pin T, through theblock V to the knob s, on one arm of the switch up which it passes,follows and heats the platinum, passes down the other arm of the switchby the knobs to the pin T', and by the wire 'w' to pin Y, where itreaches its old track.

rlhe apparatus described is intended to be attached to one or moreburners in a given locality, and connected by wire with the battery, thereturn circuit beingmade by the gas pipe or through the ground. A largenumber of the burners at different localities-.street-lamps, forinstance-may be separately connected to a given central station, fromwhore they may be consecutively operated by the force of a singlebattery, the appropriate key being touched by the operator. Y t

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

' 1. The switch'S, vibratedby the rotation of the wheelvon the gas-cock,substantially 'as described.

2. The combination of the Wheel D with cams'cl d and the vibratingswitch S, as described. 3. The arrangement of the clock-gearing, the fanK, the wheel D, the escapement L ll', and the notched wheel Q,substantially as described.

4. The armature O, spring-catch o, and escapement L ll', arrangedsubstantially as described. 5. The arrangement of the spring E andgearing, the fan K, cam-faced wheel D, armature O, escapement and switchS, substantially as described and represented.

` JNO. M. HIGGINS.

Witnesses:

WM. M. EccLns, CHARLES H. OHAPIN.

